


At the End of the World

by seasonofthegeek



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Apocalypse, Hawk Moth just released all the akumas, Really really bad, Reveal, Things are bad, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-10-29 13:53:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10855347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/pseuds/seasonofthegeek
Summary: Hawk Moth released every akuma he has ever created in one fell swoop. Paris has fallen into pandemonium and Ladybug and Chat Noir are struggling against the continuous onslaught. What do you do when it is the end of the world?





	1. Chapter 1

There was nothing that could have prepared them for this. The terrified screams of civilians had become a muted distortion of background noise as the heroes limped into an alley to recharge.

“I didn’t want to find out like this.” Chat Noir winced as he slid down a brick wall, holding onto his side. He knew at least two of his ribs were broken from the last bout with Darkblade. He hadn’t been quite fast enough to block a hard blow dealt with the side of the akuma’s large blade. “But I guess we’re past our identities being a big issue now.”

“I know, Chaton. I should’ve shown you who I am before now anyway,” Ladybug said through gritted teeth as she dragged her broken leg behind her. She dropped down beside him and took his hand. Her earrings were beeping incessantly now. She willed Tikki to drop the transformation and the exhausted kwami fell into her lap. 

“Marinette,” Chat Noir breathed. He tiredly laid his head on her shoulder. “I’m so glad it’s you, Princess.” Green light rushed up his body and Adrien picked his head up to look at her.

Marinette managed to smile at him without grimacing. “I feel like I should have known.” She kissed his cheek softly, expelling most of the energy she had left.

“We wasted a lot of time,” he replied, laying his head back down on her shoulder. “Here, Plagg, eat up.” Adrien produced a balled up foil package and began to unwrap it. The cat kwami pulled himself towards it slowly.

“We can’t keep this up,” Tikki declared, her voice faint. She held a crumbling cookie in her tiny paws. “You two are going to get killed.”

“We can’t just leave everyone to suffer,” Marinette argued but her voice didn’t hold the same conviction it had the last time they had stopped to have this discussion.

“You aren’t strong enough for this,” Plagg muttered. “We’re not strong enough for this. It’s been three days and I can’t believe we’re all still alive.”

“Even if we don’t fight, nothing changes,” Adrien said. “Our friends will still be akumatized. Hawk Moth will still be destroying this city. If we don’t fight, things will only get worse.”

“Kid, things are going to get worse whether you’re here or not. This is beyond us now.”

“I can’t accept that. There has to be something—“

“It’s too much,” Tikki cried hopelessly. “Even if somehow we could start cleansing the akumas, I couldn’t…we couldn’t…it would take weeks to gather enough energy to do it, and that doesn’t even include fighting them first.”

“You aren’t going to let her get killed, are you, Kid?” Plagg tilted his head towards Marinette. “You can save her. You can take her and leave and never look back.”

“We can’t just leave…” Marinette said tiredly. 

“He’s right though.” Adrien’s voice was quiet. “I can’t let you stay here.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Adrien, we have to save them. O-our families, Alya and Nino…” Marinette began to cry. “This is all my fault. I should’ve been more proactive. I should’ve hunted him down. I should’ve—“

Groaning in pain, Adrien pulled Marinette to him. “Shhhh,” he whispered into her hair. “We can’t do that.” He kissed the top of her head. “We’ve been fighting Hawk Moth for years. Maybe we should have worked harder at finding him, but there’s nothing we can do about that now.”

Marinette sobbed into his chest, fingers twisted in his dirty shirt. Adrien felt a little dizzy from the pressure she was putting on his broken ribs but he clenched his teeth together and held her while she cried.

_____________________________________

 

Hawk Moth watched his masterpiece unfold. It had been worth conserving his energy for months, not sending out akumas, not transforming. It had all been worth it. Three full days of madness now and not an end in sight.

After another less than successful battle against Ladybug and Chat Noir, Hawk Moth had decided to research ways to gain more power without attaining the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. His source in Tibet shipped him an ancient tome that had explained it in length. Apparently Hawk Moth hadn’t been the first Moth Miraculous holder to use his powers for personal gain.

By conserving his energy, he was able to finally re-release every akuma he had ever sent out in his role as Hawk Moth. The city fell into instant pandemonium. Collège Françoise Dupont was a smoking crater, the Eiffel Tower had been cut down and lay like a fallen tree, and the Louvre was now a framework of broken steel rods.

Hawk Moth had only given one direction as his akumas re-inhabited their victims. He simply commanded that the coveted Miraculous not be destroyed. Anything else was fair game. There would be plenty of time to take the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous once his soldiers were done having their revenge.

_____________________________

 

The telltale zap of Gamer’s mech startled the sleeping couple awake. A blast of green light flashed past the mouth of the alley they were huddled in.

“Shit,” Adrien cursed, pulling himself upright. “Plagg, claws out.”

“Tikki, spots on.”

Ladybug cried out as she stood, her left leg buckling under her. Chat Noir grabbed her waist and she draped an arm over his shoulder. “We’ve got to find somewhere safe where we can get patched up.”

“Do you think your house has held up in the attacks?” Ladybug asked in a strained voice. “The bakery…”

“I know,” he grimaced. They had both watched the flames lick up the side of the bakery faster than seemed possible. Tom and Sabine had been turned into knights by Darkblade only moments after it happened. “Come on, we can at least check it out.”

Chat Noir extended his baton and with a grunt, lifted them both in the air. Tears streamed down Ladybug’s face, but she only whimpered softly. He brought them down unevenly on a roof and Ladybug fell out of his grasp, rolling to the rooftop with a cry.

“I’m so sorry, My Lady. I couldn’t—“

“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise?”

Chat Noir spun, putting himself between the voice and Ladybug. “Chloe?”

“It’s Antibug, you worthless feline,” she spat. “Now, get out of my way. Ladybrat is mine.”

“Over my dead body,” Chat Noir hissed, brandishing his baton. 

“That can be arranged,” Stormy Weather threatened from the side, holding up her parasol. The sky above them darkened and she sent a bolt of lightening straight at the hero. He was raised into the air by the blast and then dropped limply to the rooftop, unmoving.

Ladybug cried out, pulling herself towards her fallen partner. 

“Not so fast,” Antibug smiled. “You’re coming with me.” She grabbed Ladybug’s ponytail and yanked, pulling the hero up hard. “Now, stand up and follow me or Stormy will fry your pathetic kitty again.”

Ladybug tried to steady herself on one leg. She watched Chat Noir’s body as she did and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw his chest rise slowly. 

Antibug ripped Ladybug’s yo-yo off her waist and tossed it to someone behind her. “There, now we’re even.”

Ladybug painfully turned to see Lady Wifi studying the yo-yo thoughtfully. “Not so fast, Bug. I said I wanted her unmasked.”

“You also said you wanted her yo-yo.”

“After she’s unmasked.”

“The mask doesn’t come off until she drops her transformation!” Antibug stomped her foot. “I can’t do everything!”

“Woah, ladies, chill out.” The Bubbler landed on the roof with a thud. “We can just wait then, yeah? She doesn’t look like she has a lot left to give.”

“Fine,” Antibug huffed. “But do something with him.” She pointed to Chat Noir’s limp form. “He’s always trying to save her.”

The Bubbler grinned, pulling out his wand. “No problemo, Bug.” He bubbled Chat Noir and sent the sphere flying across the skyline.

“No!” Ladybug screamed. Antibug kicked her bad knee and the hero fell to the rooftop with a sharp thud.

“Where is he going?” Stormy Weather watched the bubble float away, her hand tightening on her parasol.

“Does it matter?”

_____________________________

 

“Master, we must do something!” Wayzz flitted away from the window as a large purple beast hulked by, leaving a trail of pink goo in its wake.

“I’m open to suggestions, Wayzz,” Master Fu responded quietly. He held a hand tightly against his side. The Mime had set off a bomb earlier and a piece of metal shrapnel was still firmly embedded in Fu’s side. He knew what would happen if he tried to remove it but the pain was getting to be too much.

“The Bee and the Fox, you had already chosen holders—“

“The holders are akumatized now.”

“Then we find new holders!”

“You know it isn’t that simple, old friend. You can see what happens when the wrong person has a Miraculous.” Master Fu settled down against the wall, leaning his head back. “Let me rest a moment. We will decide something soon.”

Wayzz watched him with a worried expression. Master Fu’s skin was pale and shiny with sweat, both hands still pressed firmly into his side. If something didn’t change soon, Master Fu would be dead before the next sunrise.

_____________________________

 

“What do we have here?” Volpina kicked Chat Noir’s back but he didn’t move. “Give me some rope.”

Evillustrator cocked an eyebrow but took to his tablet, quickly producing a thick coil of rope and handing it off. 

“Looks like Bubbler had him,” he commented, rubbing the tip of his foot against the sticky residue around Chat Noir’s form. “His bubble must have popped up here or something.” He watched Volpina tie a thick knot around Chat Noir’s boots. “Is he dead?”

“What would be the fun in that?” Volpina smirked. She stood up and dusted off her hands. “If we’re lucky, Ladybug will think he’s an illusion and try to slash through him with that obnoxious yo-yo of hers.” 

She gave Chat Noir’s limp form a swift kick and he rolled off the top of the Arc de Triomphe, the rope around his ankles going taut just before his head hit the ground. He swung heavily upside down.

“So now what should we do?”

“This is Hawk Moth’s big celebration party. I say we have some more fun.” Volpina bared her teeth in a sinister smile. “I think I’m going to go visit sweet little Adrien Agreste. He owes me a date. Actually, he owes me quite a bit more than that, I think.”

“I could just make a bunch of Adriens to follow you around and do your bidding,” Evillustrator said in a bored tone. “Let’s do something actually fun.”

“Like what? Personally, I can’t think of anything more fun than tying Adrien down and doing whatever I want to him while he cries out for his precious Ladybug to save him,” Volpina laughed. “Does that make you jealous, my little Paintbrush?”

Evillustrator huffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. I couldn’t care less what you want to do with that idiot.”

Volpina stepped closer to him. “We could find that little piece you like so much. Marinette, wasn’t it? Don’t you owe her for siding with our little friend and going against you?” Volpina nudged the rope at her feet and Chat Noir’s body swung below them. “Think of it. Both of them at our wills, begging for heroes who are never going to come for them.”

“You’re insanely scary,” Evillustrator remarked, “but I think I like it.”

“Of course you do.”

Evillustrator blew out a puff of air. “Why don’t we pretend to be Ladybug and Chat Noir?”

“Why in the world would we do that?”

“Hawk Moth just released every akuma he’s ever created. Everyone’s going to be looking for their super special heroes to save the day. We should give them a show. Besides, think of how easy it would be to convince Marinette and Adrien to come with us if they thought we were Ladybug and Chat Noir, only to crush them when we revealed the truth.”

Volpina grinned. “I like the way you think, Paintbrush.” She brought her flute to her lips and the illusion of Ladybug washed down her body. 

Evillustrator finished a sketch on his tablet and handed her a spotted yo-yo. “For you, My Lady,” he smirked from Chat Noir’s face.

“Thanks, kitty. Shall we?”


	2. Chapter 2

“Transform already.” Antibug roughly nudged Ladybug with her foot. “I’m getting bored.”

Ladybug didn’t respond. She contemplated her options. If she let go of her transformation, she would have absolutely no chance at fighting off her akumatized friends. On the other hand, if she let her transformation run out, she would be in the same situation without the possibility of being able to transform back into Ladybug if the opportunity presented itself. Stormy Weather and Bubbler had taken off when she didn’t lose her transformation immediately. That left Antibug and Lady Wifi to deal with. 

“You need to step back. My transformation will hurt you if you’re too close to me,” Ladybug finally said.

“You’re lying,” Antibug scoffed.

Ladybug shrugged. “I guess you’ll see for yourself. Don’t blame me when you’re writhing in pain.”

Antibug huffed but took a couple of steps back. Ladybug inhaled deeply; glad for the little bit of personal space she had acquired, and willed her transformation to fall. She quickly opened her purse so Tikki could drop in without being seen.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, are you kidding me?!” Antibug stomped her foot. “Is this some kind of joke?!”

Marinette glared at her. 

“Marinette…” Lady Wifi stepped closer, a peculiar expression on her face. “You’ve been lying to me this whole time.”

“She’s been lying to all of us, Lady Witless. Now, she’s unmasked and you got your yo-yo. Leave so I can have teach this bitch a lesson,” Antibug demanded.

“Actually the yo-yo is gone with her transformation.” Lady Wifi held up an empty hand.

“That’s not my problem. We had a deal. You can’t just—“ Antibug froze mid-sentence when a glowing pause sign appeared on her chest.

“She talks entirely too much,” Lady Wifi commented. “You have one chance to tell me why you’ve been lying to me for years about being Ladybug.”

Marinette looked up at her best friend wearily. “I thought I was protecting you. No one knew I was Ladybug. I never wanted you to get hurt by someone who would try to use our relationship against me.”

“Who is Chat Noir?”

Marinette bit her lip. She had been desperately trying not to think about her partner until she could get free.

“Tell me and I may be willing to help you.”

“Why?”

“You have five seconds or the offer goes away,” Lady Wifi threatened.

“Adrien,” Marinette said softly. “Adrien is Chat Noir.”

“Damn it.” Lady Wifi sat down on the rooftop beside Marinette. 

“Your eyes.”

Lady Wifi blinked. “What about them?”

“They’re not purple anymore.” Marinette furrowed her brow. “They’re hazel again.”

“What do you think that means?”

“I don’t know. How do you feel?”

“Angry, frustrated, guilty…”

“But maybe more like Alya?” Marinette asked hopefully.

“Not quite…but I think I want to help you.” Lady Wifi stood again. “I can’t promise it will stay this way, but for now, I think we’re on the same side.” She held a hand out to Marinette.

Marinette took her hand and painfully got to her feet. “I need to find Chat.”

“You’re not going to be any good to him with your leg like that.” Lady Wifi slid a flying disk from her phone. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift.”

_____________________________________

 

Adrien woke up with a pounding headache. He blinked but he could only see the world in a dark haze. 

“You with me, Kid?”

“Plagg?” Adrien furrowed his brow. “I-I can’t see. What’s going on?”

“I was afraid that might happen. You’re hanging upside down. I need you to put your hands out to brace the fall. You’re high enough that this is going to hurt but if you can catch yourself, you might not split your head open.” The kwami settled himself on the soles of Adrien’s shoes. “Are you ready?”

“N-no.” Adrien began to shake. “I-I can’t…I d-don’t…”

“You can do this, Chat. Put your hands above your head.”

Adrien reluctantly let his arms drop. Pain shot through his ribcage and he gasped.

“I know, Kid. We’re going to do this quick,” Plagg said. “Okay, one, two—“ Plagg powered through the rope, releasing Adrien.

Adrien heard his wrist snap before he felt the pain when he connected with the ground. He curled in around himself. There wasn’t anything that didn’t hurt. 

“Talk to me, Adrien,” Plagg demanded.

“It hurts,” he moaned. 

“I know. Do you think you can move?”

Adrien shook his head and curled in tighter.

“Wait! Stop! Down there!” a voice screamed. “Adrien! Adrien!”

Marinette stumbled off the flying disk as Lady Wifi brought them to the ground. She fell by Adrien’s side, brushing the hair from his face. “Adrien?! Please be okay, please be okay,” she chanted as she felt for his pulse.

“He’s in bad shape,” Plagg said, landing on her shoulder. 

“My Lady,” Adrien groaned, eyes clenched shut.

“I’m here, kitty. It’s going to be okay.”

“A-are you hurt?”

Marinette laughed bitterly. “I’m more worried about you right now.”

“This is all very touching but we’re too out in the open here. Where can we go?” Lady Wifi looked around anxiously.

“The Agreste mansion.” Marinette cradled Adrien in her arms. “Are you going to be able to carry both of us?”

“No.”

Marinette nodded and opened her purse. “Tikki, do you think you can get me across town?”

“I can try, Marinette.”

“Spots on.” Ladybug got to her feet unsteadily, keeping her weight off her left leg. 

Adrien reached out for her. “Please don’t leave me, Mari,” he pleaded. His eyes opened but they were unfocused, searching blindly.

Ladybug grabbed his hand. “I promise I’m not leaving you.” She exchanged a look with Lady Wifi. “Alya is here. She’s going to help us, okay?”

“Alya? But—“

“Come on, Sunshine. I’ve got you.” Lady Wifi pulled Adrien to his feet and wrapped an arm around his waist tightly. He yelped and pulled away. 

“He’s got some broken ribs at least,” Plagg explained. “Probably more at this point.”

“Oh,” Lady Wifi looked unsure of what to do. 

“I can make it,” Adrien panted. “Just do what you need to do. Let’s get to my house.”

Lady Wifi produced another floating disk and stepped up on it, pulling Adrien with her. He whimpered but held on tight to her waist. 

“Go,” Ladybug ordered. “We’ll be right behind you.” As soon as Lady Wifi and Adrien were in the air, Ladybug turned to Plagg. “Is it possible for akumas to go away without being cleansed?”

“Not that I’ve ever heard of. Why?”

“Because Lady Wifi’s boots just changed into Alya’s shoes.”

______________________________

 

“Well, well, well, if isn’t Goodybug and Cat Turd,” Guitar Villain drawled. “Come to bow down to the king, have you?”

Ladybug laughed and became Volpina in a shimmer of light. “Sorry to get your hopes up, Grandpa, but I don’t bow down to anyone.”

“Ah, the Foxy Lady. Can’t say I’m disappointed.”

Reflekta stepped up from behind Guitar Villain. “Either that’s Copycat or you convinced Chat Noir to switch teams.” She ran long nails teasingly down Chat Noir’s chest. 

“Neither actually,” Evillustrator smirked as his illusion fell. Reflekta cocked an eyebrow and stepped back.

“We’re looking for Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Either of you seen them?” Volpina asked, hands on her hips.

“I saw the Agreste model,” Pixelator commented from his lounging position against the wall. “He was hanging upside down from the Arc. I thought about capturing him but he didn’t look great. He’s a handsome guy but I think he might be dead by now and I don’t want that on my wall.”

“He was what?!” Volpina stalked over to Pixelator. “Are you saying Adrien Agreste was hanging upside down from the Arc de Triomphe?”

“Yeah, looked like his feet had been tied up or something. He was just dangling there.”

Volpina looked back at Evillustrator. “So Adrien Agreste…”

“Is Chat Noir,” he finished. “I just got a whole lot more interested in your little game.”

_________________________________

 

Lady Wifi walked Adrien over to his couch and helped him down. “First aid kit?”

“In the closet, top shelf on the left,” he wheezed, wrapping his arms around his middle.

Ladybug landed on the windowpane and dropped into the room with a pained yelp. Adrien’s face turned towards her. “Ladybug?”

She sat down beside him on the couch and released her transformation. Tikki and Plagg settled weakly on the couch at her side. “I’m here, Adrien. It’s me.” She took one of his hands in hers and kissed it. 

“I can’t see,” he whispered. “Everything is all gray and hazy. I-I’m scared.”

“It’s from being upside down too long, Kid. It should clear up with some rest,” Plagg explained.

Lady Wifi appeared with the first aid kit. Marinette widened her eyes. Her akumatized friend looked down at her body. “Yeah, I see it too. I don’t really know what to do about it.”

“The only things left are your top and your mask. It’s like the akuma is cleansing itself,” Marinette said in awe. “How do you feel?”

“I feel…I feel like me,” she admitted. “I think I’m mostly Alya now. I can feel Lady Wifi like a small voice in the back of my head, but I don’t have to listen.”

Marinette stood up and hugged her tight. “I was so scared I’d lost you.”

Alya stiffened for a moment before melting into the hug. “You couldn’t get rid of me that easy, M.” She pulled back and presented the first aid kit. “Now let’s get you two patched up and make a game plan.”

_____________________________________

 

The beeping alarm woke Gabriel from his accidental dozing. He squinted at the security screen. “Nathalie,” he hissed at his sleeping assistant across the room. “Someone’s in the house. A window is open in Adrien’s room.”

Nathalie blinked at him a few times before becoming more alert. She nodded and stood, straightening her blazer. It may be the end of the world, but she was no slouch.

Gabriel pulled a gun out of his desk and handed it to her. “Just in case.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The pair crept out of the office and down the hall. Gabriel leaned against Adrien’s bedroom door to listen.

“I know this hurts, Pretty Boy, but it will be over a whole lot sooner if you stop fighting me.”

Adrien yelled in a wordless response and Gabriel slammed his weight against the door, forcing it open. Nathalie was right behind him, gun raised.

One young lady held a shirtless Adrien down on the bed with an ice pack to his rib cage while another was wrapping an ace bandage tightly around his wrist. The women looked at Gabriel and Nathalie with wide eyes.

“What’s happening?!” Adrien cried out, trying to sit up. 

Alya forced him back down and he whimpered. “Well, stop moving!”

“It’s your father and Nathalie,” Marinette explained. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Gabriel demanded, coming further into the room. 

“Adrien’s badly injured. We’re trying to help him,” Alya said in irritation. “I need to wrap these broken ribs but he’s being a baby about it.”

“You aren’t supposed to wrap ribs,” Nathalie said sternly, grabbing the bandages out of Alya’s hand. “It makes it too hard to breath and can cause pneumonia.”

“Oh,” Alya said sheepishly. “I didn’t realize that.”

“Adrien, what happened to you?” Gabriel neared the bed and drew in a sharp breath when he took in his son’s injuries. He watched Adrien’s eyes fly back and forth. “You can’t see me,” he said mostly to himself.

“We…we’re hoping it’s temporary. I was suspended upside down for a few hours and it messed up my vision.”

“What else is wrong?” Gabriel asked in a clinical voice.

“I think his wrist is broken,” Marinette answered timidly. “I did the best I could to splint it and wrap it.”

“You did a great job on it, Princess,” Adrien sighed.

“Princess?” Alya snorted. “Obviously there is a lot you two are going to need to fill me on.”

“Maybe not the best time, Al,” Marinette replied, eyeing Gabriel.

“Ah, right. Sorry.”

“Temporary blindness, broken wrist, broken ribs, anything else?”

“I think I’m just really tired. We’ve only been able to sleep in tiny increments over the past few days. I can’t remember the last time we ate…” Adrien’s voice trailed off as his stomach gurgled. He blinked sightless eyes, embarrassed.

“Nathalie, could you go grab some food from the kitchen?”

Nathalie nodded. 

“I’ll help you,” Alya said, jumping up from the bed. She mouthed an apology to Marinette over Gabriel’s shoulder.

“He was struck by lightening too,” Marinette added. “I’m not sure if that did anything that needs to be treated.”

“I forgot about that,” Adrien frowned.

Gabriel sat down on the edge of the bed and ran a hand over Adrien’s matted hair. “I’ve been beside myself worried about you. I assumed the worst. I couldn’t…” He took in a deep breath. “We looked for you the first day everything went bad but Simon Says took over Anthony and he kept attacking Nathalie and I. We had to lock ourselves in here to get away from him.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get here to check on you sooner.” Adrien reached out with his bandaged hand and Marinette immediately took it gently in hers. “We’ve been a little busy.”

“I know.” Gabriel dropped his head in his hands. “When I saw all the akumas had been released, I knew Chat Noir would be needed.”

“You knew…” Adrien’s voice trailed off.

“Am I to assume you are Ladybug then, Miss Dupain-Cheng?” Gabriel asked.

Marinette blanched. “Uh…”

“Father, how did you know?”

“That’s not important now,” Gabriel assured him. “What’s important is getting you two back to full strength.”

“You need to check out Marinette. I know she’s hurt,” Adrien said quickly. 

“I’ll be oka—“

“You don’t need to be brave right now, Bugaboo.” Adrien rolled his head in her direction. “Your leg was hurt, right? What else?”

“I have some painkillers in the medicine cabinet. I’ll go get them while you assess her injuries, Adrien.” Gabriel left the room without a backwards glance.

“I think he’s trying to give us some privacy,” Adrien chuckled. “Tell me what hurts.” He rubbed his bandaged hand lightly against her leg.

Marinette sighed. “My left leg is busted. I think it’s broken but I don’t know for sure. I knocked my head a couple of times and it’s pounding. My shoulder’s sore but I don’t remember actually doing anything to it. Mostly cuts and bruises.”

“I wish I could take care of you.”

“You are.”

Adrien scoffed. “Yeah, I’m doing a real great job as I lay here blind and helpless.”

“Don’t do that, minou. Just being here with you makes me feel better.” She leaned over and kissed his forehead. “When Bubbler sent you away, I was terrified that would be the last time I saw you. My heart stopped beating.” 

“I’ll always find a way back to you, My Lady. I…I love you,” he finished softly, closing his eyes.

“I love you too, Chat,” Marinette said, laying down beside him. “I love you too.”


	3. Chapter 3

“They should be out for a while. I made them both take a muscle relaxer with their dinner,” Alya said, glancing at the bed. “They need the rest.”

“I want to thank you for bringing my son back home to me,” Gabriel began, walking further into the room. “I had hoped he would be okay as Chat Noir but with so many akumas…”

“I don’t know how they’ve survived, honestly.”

“Explain to me what happened to you.”

Alya looked down at the glowing white butterfly perched on her shoulder. “I don’t know for sure. I have a theory though.”

“I’m all ears.”

“Okay, so before this week, there haven’t been any akumas for months, right? I think it’s safe to assume now that Hawk Moth was saving up his energy for this big push. And while it is devastating because there are so many akumas out, I don’t think they’re as strong as they were the first time around,” Alya explained. “As soon as I decided I didn’t immediately want to destroy Ladybug, it was like the akuma’s hold started to lessen.” She gestured to herself and then the gently flapping butterfly. “The more I helped Marinette and Adrien, the less hold the akuma had until it was back to the cleansed state Ladybug last left it in.”

“Expounding on that, if we could pick off akumas who could relatively easily be turned back, we may have a chance,” Gabriel theorized.

Alya blinked. “Yeah, I suppose so. This is all hypothetical though. I could be a special case or maybe it has more to do with the akuma’s purpose. Lady Wifi wanted to unmask Ladybug. Once I knew she was Marinette, things started to change.”

“Are there any others you can think of who might be as easily changed?”

“Nino,” she said immediately. “The whole reason he was turned was because he was angry you wouldn’t let Adrien celebrate his birthday with friends.”

Gabriel frowned. “I don’t remember that.”

“That doesn’t really surprise me,” Alya replied stiffly. “You’re not exactly Parent of the Year, Mr. Agreste.”

He studied her. “No, I suppose I’m not. Okay, who else?”

Alya chewed on her lip, thinking. “Nathaniel, maybe. He was mad at Chloe, who is Antibug right now, but he wanted to be with Marinette. Maybe she would be able to convince him to turn back.” She tapped her fingers against Adrien’s desk. “I’ll have to think some more. I’m sure there are others.”

“You do that. Let me know what you come up with.” 

_____________________________________

 

“What do you mean you’ve lost one?” Timebreaker asked, moving in gliding circles around the empty room. Butterflies scattered in her wake. “Ladybug cleansed it or something?”

“No, it cleansed itself,” Hawk Moth growled. 

“I wasn’t aware that was a possibility,” Pharaoh remarked, looking out the large window over the devastation of the city.

“It shouldn’t be.”

“Things are different this time,” Pharaoh said. “Jalil is more of a consciousness than before.”

Hawk Moth turned to him. “Explain.”

“The last time, I was in full control and Jalil was like a backseat passenger. This time, it feels like his is in the front seat with me, I suppose. As if he could take over if given the right motivation.”

“But…Jalil should be in control. You should be Jalil, simply enhanced.”

Pharaoh watched him, face blank.

Hawk Moth looked at Timebreaker. “Alix?”

She tilted her head. “She’s here.”

“To make sure I understand, neither of you are actually Jalil or Alex. You are akumas inhabiting their bodies?”

“You knew that,” Pharaoh said.

Hawk Moth took in a deep breath. “Of course I did,” he lied.

_____________________________________

 

“Marinette?” Adrien whispered.

“Hmmm?” She shifted and cuddled up to him.

“Mari, are you awake?”

“No,” she mumbled.

He chuckled, wincing at the pull on his ribs. “How do you feel?”

“Like I still want to sleep,” she whined.

“Okay, okay,” he soothed, rubbing a hand over her hair. “I’m going to try to get up, okay? I really want to get clean.”

“Can you see?” she asked, blinking sleep away.

“A little bit. Everything’s still hazy but I can see splotches of color now. I’m taking that as a good sign.”

“Do you want me to go get your dad to help you?”

Adrien frowned. “No. I can do it, I think.” He moved to the edge of the bed and gasped. “O-okay, I m-may need a little help,” he stammered.

Marinette scooted over to him. “Tell me what hurts.”

“Besides everything?”

“Maybe a little more specifically.”

“I think it’s my ribs mostly. Do you think you can help me walk to the bathroom?”

“Of course.” Marinette swung her legs over the side and gave her own gasp.

“Damn in, I forgot about your leg. Lay back down.”

“No, I can do this. We’ll just help each other there.”

“My Lady—“

“Don’t you ‘My Lady’ me, you stubborn cat. Now, let’s stand up on three. One, two, three!”

The pair stood up on shaky legs. They made it halfway across the room when Marinette faltered, grabbing onto the Adrien’s desk chair for support. “I just need a minute.”

Adrien blinked, looking around and growled in frustration. “I hate not being able to see.”

“I can’t imagine it’s pleasant.” Marinette straightened up. “Okay, let’s keep going.”

They finally made it into the bathroom and Marinette led Adrien to lean against the counter. “I think a bath is going to be safer than the shower,” she said, turning on the tap.

“Right,” he nodded, cheeks reddening.

“And since I don’t want you to drown, I’m going to stay in here with you. Also, I’m just as gross as you are.”

“Okay,” he squeaked. 

Adrien felt Marinette’s fingers brush against the hem of his shirt. “Is this okay? I’ll be as gentle as I can be.”

He cleared his throat. “Y-yeah.”

Marinette carefully lifted the shirt, working it over his sore shoulders and up his arms. “Oh, my poor kitty,” she sighed, running a finger lightly across the mottled skin of his chest and stomach. Adrien shivered. “I’m going to take off your pants now, okay?”

“You don’t have to.”

“Believe me, this is not sexy time, okay?” Marinette giggled nervously, sliding his pants to the floor. “We’re both going to keep our underwear on and soak in a well-deserved bath.”

Adrien swallowed thickly. “Right. Absolutely nothing sexy about the heroes of Paris taking a bath together.”

“The beaten and bruised heroes of Paris,” Marinette amended, beginning to shed her own clothes. “Besides, it isn’t like you can actually see me. And I won’t be seeing any more of you on display than that huge billboard by the Seine.”

“Don’t remind me,” Adrien muttered. “That’s the last time I do an underwear campaign. I didn’t realize how big it would be.”

“I thought guys usually liked that kind of thing,” she teased.

Adrien’s cheeks turned an even darker red. “Not my…uh, the billboard. I didn’t realize the billboard would be so big.”

Marinette cut the flow of the water and took Adrien’s arm gently. “Okay, step in.”

Adrien groaned as he sank down into the water. “This might be what heaven feels like.”

“Oh my,” Marinette moaned as she slid down on the opposite side. 

“Marinette?”

“Yeah?”

“I know everything sucks right now, but I’m really glad you’re with me.” He reached out blindly and Marinette grasped his hand.

“I’m glad you’re with me too, Adrien.” She held his hand awkwardly across the water. “Would you mind if I come over to that side?”

“Oh, sure!” He moved himself as far over as he could and Marinette settled in beside him, their shoulders bumping and their clasped hands settling down into the water between them. “Did you mean it earlier?” he asked softly.

“What?”

“When you said…”

“That I love you?” she finished. “I meant it.”

“I meant it too.”

Marinette laid her head on his shoulder. “What are we going to do, Chat?”

“We’ll save the day, my Lady. It’s what we do.”

_____________________________________

 

Alya trudged back down the hall to Adrien’s bedroom. She, Gabriel, and Nathalie had compiled an extensive list of every akuma they could remember with abilities and reasons for akumatization. It was a start at least.

She pushed open the door and her heart stopped when she saw the empty bed. Surely Marinette and Adrien hadn’t been stupid enough to try to go back out already. 

“They’re in the bathroom,” Plagg said sleepily from the back of the couch. 

“Both of them?”

“They were taking a bath but they fell asleep again,” Tikki added, phasing through the bathroom door. “I’ve been making sure they didn’t slip too low into the water. They’re exhausted.”

“Aren’t we all?” Alya muttered. She pushed through the bathroom door and sighed. Marinette was curled against Adrien’s side, her head propped up on his shoulder. Her gray cotton sports bra was soaked through and she shivered even as she slept. “If they weren’t so cute together, this would be really annoying.”

_____________________________________

 

The front door disappeared before Gabriel’s eyes. “Ah, Mr. Agreste, I don’t think we’ve ever been formerly introduced,” Volpina laughed, stepping inside. “My name is Volpina. You have such a lovely home.”

“What do you want?” he asked flatly.

“We’re here for your son,” Evillustrator said, entering behind Volpina. “Give us Chat Noir.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“He wasn’t even a little surprised,” Volpina pouted. “I was really hoping for some kind of reaction.”

“I’ve known about my son for quite a while. You could say it runs in the family,” Gabriel grimly smiled, pressing a hand against his chest.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Hands up, freaks,” Nathalie demanded, entering the room with her gun held steady.

“Now, that just won’t do,” Evillustrator chuckled, erasing the gun. “Surely you didn’t think that would work.”

“Except that it did,” Nathalie smiled.

Paon Royale threw his fan, knocking both akumas to the ground. Nathalie hurried over and wrenched Evillustrator’s pen away and knocked her elbow against his head, rendering him unconscious. Paon Royale tossed Volpina’s flute across the marble tile, kneeling down against her back and pressing her front into the floor.

“Looking good, sir,” Nathalie remarked, clasping a pair of handcuffs on Evillustrator’s limp wrists as she pulled them behind his back. 

“What the hell is going on?!” Volpina shrieked, struggling under the older man’s weight.

“You came looking for a hero, didn’t you? You found one,” Paon Royale replied, securing her arms. “You made a mistake threatening my son. It isn’t one you’ll be allowed to make again.” He turned to Nathalie. “We can keep them in the cellar until Ladybug and Chat Noir are ready to deal with them.”

“You can’t just keep us here! Hawk Moth won’t allow it,” she argued, bucking.

Paon Royale leaned in, grabbing her chin. “You’ll find I don’t give a shit what Hawk Moth will or won’t allow, Miss Rossi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there is any confusion still at this point, Gabriel is NOT Hawk Moth in this story and was the former (and now) current holder of the Peacock Miraculous. :) 
> 
> Bonus points if you've figured out who Hawk Moth is.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my tumblr: seasonofthegeek for story drabbles and character sketches.


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